'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Netflix's American Murder covers the sensational case of Laci Peterson's murder. On December 24, 2002, she was reported missing by her husband, Scott Peterson. At the time, she was eight months pregnant with their child, who'd been named Conner Peterson.
On April 18, 2003, her body was identified. Scott was subsequently arrested and charged with two counts of murder for his wife and unborn child and convicted for both in 2004.
As of 2024, Scott Peterson is serving a life sentence at Mule Creek State Prison. However, The Innocence Project has decided to advocate for him, claiming that new evidence disputing his culpability has been found. On March 6, 2024, ABC News reported that a judge in California's San Mateo County had granted a request for a status hearing on the case.
Trending
American Murder revisits Laci Peterson's high-profile murder
Set to premiere on August 14, 2024, American Murder: Laci Peterson is the second installment of Netflix's American Murder series of documentary films. The first installment, which premiered in 2018, focused on the Watts family murders. The upcoming installment of American Murder will follow Laci Peterson's murder, which caused a media sensation, and Scott Peterson's trial and conviction in 2004.
Scott Peterson said he'd last seen Laci at 9.30 am on December 24, 2002, as he left his house to go fishing at the Berkley Marina. The other people who'd last seen Laci alive had met her on December 23. These were her sister, Amy Rocha, who'd cut her hair at Salon Salon, and Laci's mother, Sharon, who'd spoken to her over the phone at around 8.30 pm.
At around 6 pm, the police were notified of Laci's disappearance, and detectives Allan Brocchini and Joe Buehler came to investigate. In an interview with ABC News, Joe Buehler claimed he quickly grew suspicious of Scott Peterson.
“I suspected Scott when I first met him. Didn’t mean he did it, but I was a little bit thrown off by his calm, cool demeanor and his lack of questioning ... he wasn’t, ‘Will you call me back? Can I have one of your cards? What are you guys doing now?,’" Buehler said.
The body of Laci Peterson and her unborn infant wouldn't be discovered until April 13, 2003, when a couple found the infant's body while dog-walking at the Point Isabel Regional Shoreline Park.
The next day, Laci's body was discovered a mile away, washed up on the eastern shoreline. The body had degraded to the point of being unrecognizable and was only identified as Laci's after DNA testing on April 18.
Read More: 5 key details of Diane Malone's murder explored
American Murder: Scott's death sentence was overturned in 2020
After the bodies's discovery, the police acted with far greater urgency as they feared Scott might try to flee the country. A forensic search of Scott's home and fishing boat commenced. Scott was eventually found and arrested on April 18 in La Holla, near a golf course.
His hair had been dyed blonde, and his Mercedes had many supplies packed in, including USD 15,000 in cash, four changes of clothes, four burner phones, and two driver's licenses. Police believed Scott had been planning to flee to Mexico.
Three days later, on April 21, Scott was arraigned in Stanislaus County Superior Court. His case was subsequently transferred to San Mateo County out of concern that people in Stanislaus County had already decided about him.
On November 12, 2004, Scott was convicted by a jury of first-degree murder of his wife and second-degree murder of his unborn infant. On March 16, the judge sentenced him to death by lethal injection and ordered him to pay $10,000 for Laci's funeral costs.
On August 24, 2020, Scott's death sentence was overturned by the California Supreme Court in response to an appeal, but his conviction was upheld. Scott was subsequently re-sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole in 2021 and is currently serving his sentence in Mule Creek State Prison.
The murder of Laci Peterson and her husband's trial and conviction created a media firestorm. Netflix's American Murder will bring this case back into the public eye on August 14, 2024.
